Israel Offers Compensation for Machinery Missing from Sinai Oil Wells

The Israel Government offered this week end to pay full compensation for any machinery or equipment missing from Italian-operated oil wells in the Sinai Peninsula.

Commenting on remarks by Maj. Gen. E.L.M. Burns, commander of the United Nations Emergency Force, that his troops had found the wells in good condition but some equipment missing, an Israel Foreign Ministry spokesman said that Israel would pay the full market value for anything taken from the oilfield during the Israeli occupation. He added that if Israeli technicians had not sealed the wells irreparable damage would have resulted.